Patient Guide: Profhilo

Profhilo is an injectable hyaluronic acid, produced by IBSA Pharmaceuticals, that spreads through the skin’s deeper layers, stimulates collagen, elastin and the skin’s own hyaluronic acid, and improves overall skin quality over approximately 60 days. It is not a dermal filler. From £350 per session at The London Road Clinic, Newark.

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What Profhilo is, and what it isn’t

Profhilo is a bio-remodeller. That is a distinct clinical category, and the distinction matters more than the name.

Dermal filler is placed precisely to add volume or structure in a defined area: cheekbone projection, nasolabial folds, lips, chin. It is formulated to stay where it is placed, shaped by its cross-linked molecular structure to hold position in the tissue. If you want volume, filler is the conversation to have.

Profhilo works differently. IBSA manufactures it using a thermal bonding process that creates a stabilised gel of both high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, without the chemical cross-linkers found in conventional fillers. The result is a product with an unusually high HA concentration (64mg per 2ml syringe) that, once injected, spreads readily through the surrounding tissue rather than staying in place. This spreading behaviour is the mechanism. Profhilo is not filling a space. It is delivering a biological signal through the deeper layers of the skin.

Patients who come to me wanting Profhilo because they have noticed hollowed cheeks or deepening folds usually need a different conversation, one about dermal filler or, depending on the degree of change, a referral to a surgeon. Patients who come because their skin has become thinner, drier, less firm, or less luminous, those who would describe their skin as tired rather than structurally different, are often well-suited to what Profhilo can do.

Understanding collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid helps clarify why these two sets of concerns call for different approaches.

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How Profhilo works

The active substance in Profhilo is hyaluronic acid, the same molecule the skin produces naturally and which declines significantly with age. When injected, it binds water in the tissue immediately, producing a short-term improvement in local hydration.

The more significant effect is what happens next. Hyaluronic acid at the concentration in Profhilo acts on fibroblasts, the cells in the dermis responsible for producing the structural proteins that maintain skin quality. Clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals have shown stimulation of all four types of skin collagen (types I, III, IV and VII), as well as elastin and adiponectin, a protein involved in the behaviour of subcutaneous fat. This is a genuine biological response. It is not the HA itself becoming collagen; it is the HA triggering the cells that produce collagen to become more active. The difference matters clinically, because it means the improvement in skin quality builds over weeks and is measurable long after the injected HA has metabolised.

This also explains why the result from Profhilo looks and feels different to the result from filler. It is not volume. It is skin quality: hydration, firmness, improved elasticity, a subtle tightening of lax skin in the lower face or neck.

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The treatment: what to expect

Consultation first

Profhilo is an injectable treatment. Every patient at The London Road Clinic has an in-person consultation with our prescribing clinician before any treatment is planned. The consultation covers your skin concerns, medical history, current medications, and any contraindications. A treatment plan is agreed before any appointment is booked.

Read more about what to expect at a consultation at The London Road Clinic.

The injection technique

Profhilo is delivered using the BAP technique (Bio Aesthetic Points), a standardised injection map validated in IBSA’s original clinical data. Five precise points on each side of the face distribute the product evenly across the tissue. These points are not random; they are chosen to allow the hyaluronic acid to diffuse across the broadest possible area without the product concentrating at any single site.

Each injection uses a fine needle. The appointment takes approximately 30 minutes. Topical anaesthetic cream is available on request, applied 20 to 30 minutes before treatment begins.

Immediately after, small raised bumps at the injection sites are visible and normal. These are the product sitting just below the surface before it begins to spread. They typically settle within 24 to 48 hours. Mild redness is common. Occasional light bruising at injection points is possible, particularly in patients on blood thinners or aspirin.

The second session

The standard first course is two sessions, four weeks apart. The first session initiates the fibroblast response; the second consolidates it. This two-session protocol is the one supported by IBSA’s clinical data and reflects how the biological response unfolds. Patients who complete both sessions consistently report better and more durable results than those who stop after one.

Aftercare

For the 24 hours following Profhilo, the standard advice is:

• Avoid strenuous exercise, saunas and steam rooms.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Do not touch or massage the treatment area.
• Avoid applying make-up directly over the injection sites for the remainder of that day.

No extended downtime is required. Most patients return to normal activity the same day.

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Results: timeline and honest expectations

The result from Profhilo is improved skin quality, not a structural change. It is worth being precise about what that means in practice, because over-stated expectations are the main source of patient disappointment with any injectable treatment.

What Profhilo typically produces:

• Improved skin hydration. Skin that feels and appears more supple.
• Improved firmness in the lower face, jaw line and neck, where skin laxity related to collagen loss responds well.
• Improved luminosity. Skin that looks less dull, more like it used to at an earlier age.
• A subtle tightening of lax skin, particularly in the neck.

What Profhilo does not produce:

• Restoration of significant volume loss. That requires dermal filler.
• Reduction of deep structural changes to facial contour. That may require surgical input.
• Improvement in pigmentation, redness, texture irregularity, or acne scarring. Those concerns call for different treatments.
• A rapid visible result. The biological process takes time.

The timeline:

Timeframe	What typically happens
Days 1–3	Injection-site bumps resolve. No visible result yet.
Week 2–3	Some patients notice improved skin texture and hydration.
Week 4–6	The first clear improvement in firmness and laxity becomes visible for most patients.
Week 8–10	The full result is visible. This is typically the point of peak improvement.
Month 6	Results begin to fade without a maintenance session.

Clinical data and our own experience at The London Road Clinic show results from a two-session course are maintained for approximately six months. A single maintenance session every six to twelve months is typical for patients who want to sustain the improvement long-term.

The ageing well philosophy that guides how we plan treatment at LRC is relevant here. Profhilo is not a one-time fix; it is most useful as part of a considered, ongoing approach to skin quality over time.

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Who Profhilo is suitable for

Profhilo is suitable for most adults who are bothered by changes in skin quality, rather than changes in facial structure, associated with natural ageing, sun exposure, smoking, or significant weight change.

Generally suitable:

• Adults noticing reduced firmness, hydration, or luminosity in the face, neck, décolletage or hands.
• Patients who want to improve skin quality without adding volume.
• Patients in their late 30s and beyond, where the collagen and elastin response to bio-remodelling is well evidenced.
• Patients who have had Profhilo previously and tolerated it well.

Requires careful clinical assessment, or is not suitable:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding (standard contraindication for all injectables; absence of safety data rather than a known specific risk).
• Active skin infection, inflammation, or open wounds in the treatment area.
• Known allergy to hyaluronic acid or streptococcal protein. Profhilo is produced via bacterial fermentation; allergy to streptococcal-derived products is a contraindication.
• Patients taking anticoagulant medications or high-dose aspirin: disclose at consultation. Treatment may be possible but bruising risk is higher.
• Autoimmune conditions affecting the skin: discuss at consultation.
• Patients under 18: all cosmetic injectable treatments at The London Road Clinic are for adults only, in line with UK age-restriction legislation introduced in October 2021.

This list is not exhaustive. Every patient is assessed individually at consultation. The information above is educational and does not constitute clinical advice.

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Profhilo for neck, décolletage and hands

The face is the most common treatment area, but Profhilo is clinically established for the neck, décolletage and hands, and IBSA’s evidence base includes data from these sites.

The neck responds particularly well. Skin laxity and crepiness in this area are among the concerns most underserved by topical skincare alone, and bio-remodelling with Profhilo has consistent clinical data supporting its use. See the skin laxity guide for more on how laxity develops and the treatment options available.

The hands and décolletage present similar tissue characteristics to the neck, and the same injection principles apply. These areas are assessed at consultation; the two-session protocol is standard regardless of treatment site.

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How Profhilo fits with other treatments

Profhilo is frequently one component of a broader treatment plan rather than a standalone answer. Understanding where it fits helps arrive at a consultation with realistic expectations.

Profhilo and dermal filler. These are complementary, not competing. Filler addresses structural volume loss and contour change; Profhilo addresses skin quality. Many patients in their 40s and beyond benefit from both, sequenced appropriately. This is covered in more detail in the Profhilo vs dermal filler comparison guide.

Profhilo and polynucleotides. Both are injectable regenerative treatments that improve skin quality, but they work through different mechanisms and suit different candidate profiles. The Profhilo vs polynucleotides comparison at The London Road Clinic covers this in detail, and the broader regenerative treatments comparison sets out the full field.

Profhilo and energy-based devices. Profhilo addresses the biological quality of the deeper skin. Devices such as Fractora (RF microneedling) and Forma (surface RF) address the structural and surface layers. Combining them in a planned programme is clinically logical. They are not given on the same day; sequencing is agreed at consultation.

Profhilo and Lumecca IPL. IPL targets pigmentation, redness and vascular concerns. Profhilo targets hydration and structural quality. They address different concerns and can be scheduled as part of a single plan where both are indicated.

Profhilo for hair. Profhilo is not used for scalp or hair restoration at The London Road Clinic. For hair concerns, we use Croma Polyphil polynucleotides. See the hair loss and thinning guide for a full account of the options.

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Pricing and planning

Profhilo at The London Road Clinic starts from £350 per session. A first course of two sessions, four weeks apart, starts from £650. Prices include VAT. Full pricing details, including maintenance session costs, are on the Profhilo treatment page.

Final treatment plans, including whether Profhilo is appropriate and whether it is recommended alongside other treatments, are agreed at consultation.

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